UPDATE: Labour votes to take control of scrutiny committees at Wallasey Town Hall

THE ruling Labour group's plan to take blanket control of Wirral Council affairs by chairing all of the authority's scrutiny committees has been approved amid controversy.

Labour councillors united behind leader Cllr Phil Davies, voting by 37 to 23 in favour of his proposal on Monday night’s annual council meeting.

It means no members of opposition parties will chair the watchdog committees.

Wirral's Conservatives and Lib Dems were united in opposition to the proposal, describing it as a “power grab” and “retrograde step.”

Senior Lib-Dem councillor Stuart Kelly claimed the blanket control plan was an attempt by Labour to put their activities beyond scrutiny.

He said: "All committees now will be placed under the direction of the Labour Party-appointed chairs.

“This is a power grab and an attempt to stifle the effectiveness of opposition on Wirral Council.

"Labour needs to explain the justification for this move and why they are changing the cross party scrutiny arrangements that have existed for years.”

Councillor Davies said the Labour group had increased its majority to ten seats following the recent elections and he felt his group had a mandate to run the council.

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He commented: “The behaviour of the opposition parties last year was totally irresponsible and we don’t feel they deserve to be in a position of responsibility.

“Stuart Kelly himself spent most of the year criticising all our savings without coming up with any alternatives.

"My advice to him would be to lobby his party, which is in government and forcing these cuts on us.”

Conservative group leader Jeff Green said: "I'm angry the Labour Party, as many suspected, has gone back to how it was before the improvement board was called in.

"We have real and genuine concerns about the size and scope of the families and wellbeing committee and its ability to adequately scrutinise the performance of services for adults and children in Wirral."

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Conservative councillor for Meols, David Elderton, said: "We should be more open and scrutinise every decision.

"Scrutiny committees should always be chaired by parties other those in charge. If they are not, it does not look good to the public."

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Comments (21)

UPDATE: Labour votes to take control of scrutiny committees at Wallasey Town Hall

Thepleb says...10:58am Mon 9 Jun 14

Philly boy wants total control over this mess then leave him too it he has aspirations bigger than wallasey clown hall, he wants to parade his total lack of anything to give in the big show in the soon to be country known as London were all our political elite take turns cocking things up, he will be right at home.

Philly boy wants total control over this mess then leave him too it he has aspirations bigger than wallasey clown hall, he wants to parade his total lack of anything to give in the big show in the soon to be country known as London were all our political elite take turns cocking things up, he will be right at home.Thepleb

Philly boy wants total control over this mess then leave him too it he has aspirations bigger than wallasey clown hall, he wants to parade his total lack of anything to give in the big show in the soon to be country known as London were all our political elite take turns cocking things up, he will be right at home.

Score: 11

Joeblogg85 says...11:15am Mon 9 Jun 14

This cannot be a good move. Overview and Scrutiny is a massively important process in ensuring any new or developing policies/decisions are robust. Backward step if you ask me.

This cannot be a good move. Overview and Scrutiny is a massively important process in ensuring any new or developing policies/decisions are robust. Backward step if you ask me.Joeblogg85

This cannot be a good move. Overview and Scrutiny is a massively important process in ensuring any new or developing policies/decisions are robust. Backward step if you ask me.

Score: 16

Llamedos 1 says...11:18am Mon 9 Jun 14

Couldnt agree more Mr (or Mrs) Pleb. Let Davies and his cronies make even more of a mess than they have already created and then perhaps the government can send in administrators. It will be worth the waste of a few more hundreds of thousands of our council tax money to get shut of the incompetent bunch of wasters.

Couldnt agree more Mr (or Mrs) Pleb. Let Davies and his cronies make even more of a mess than they have already created and then perhaps the government can send in administrators. It will be worth the waste of a few more hundreds of thousands of our council tax money to get shut of the incompetent bunch of wasters.Llamedos 1

Couldnt agree more Mr (or Mrs) Pleb. Let Davies and his cronies make even more of a mess than they have already created and then perhaps the government can send in administrators. It will be worth the waste of a few more hundreds of thousands of our council tax money to get shut of the incompetent bunch of wasters.

Score: 8

WirralAl says...11:44am Mon 9 Jun 14

More of the same old bully tactics that we have all come to expect from this shower of control freaks. Remember they have appointed the Mayor who took the Wirral Council to the brink of collapse and have managed to squirm out of any blame for anything. They never do anything wrong so I am sure that they will act in the a responsible manner and fall on their own sword eventually!!!

More of the same old bully tactics that we have all come to expect from this shower of control freaks.
Remember they have appointed the Mayor who took the Wirral Council to the brink of collapse and have managed to squirm out of any blame for anything.
They never do anything wrong so I am sure that they will act in the a responsible manner and fall on their own sword eventually!!!WirralAl

More of the same old bully tactics that we have all come to expect from this shower of control freaks. Remember they have appointed the Mayor who took the Wirral Council to the brink of collapse and have managed to squirm out of any blame for anything. They never do anything wrong so I am sure that they will act in the a responsible manner and fall on their own sword eventually!!!

Score: 11

Joeblogg85 says...12:23pm Mon 9 Jun 14

WirralAl wrote…

More of the same old bully tactics that we have all come to expect from this shower of control freaks. Remember they have appointed the Mayor who took the Wirral Council to the brink of collapse and have managed to squirm out of any blame for anything. They never do anything wrong so I am sure that they will act in the a responsible manner and fall on their own sword eventually!!!

Full respect for your considered views Wirral Al. However, I wouldn't hang around for too long waiting for any of this lot to fall on anyone's sword! Al the best Joe

[quote][p][bold]WirralAl[/bold] wrote:
More of the same old bully tactics that we have all come to expect from this shower of control freaks.
Remember they have appointed the Mayor who took the Wirral Council to the brink of collapse and have managed to squirm out of any blame for anything.
They never do anything wrong so I am sure that they will act in the a responsible manner and fall on their own sword eventually!!![/p][/quote]Full respect for your considered views Wirral Al. However, I wouldn't hang around for too long waiting for any of this lot to fall on anyone's sword!
Al the best
JoeJoeblogg85

WirralAl wrote…

More of the same old bully tactics that we have all come to expect from this shower of control freaks. Remember they have appointed the Mayor who took the Wirral Council to the brink of collapse and have managed to squirm out of any blame for anything. They never do anything wrong so I am sure that they will act in the a responsible manner and fall on their own sword eventually!!!

Full respect for your considered views Wirral Al. However, I wouldn't hang around for too long waiting for any of this lot to fall on anyone's sword! Al the best Joe

Score: 6

WirralAl says...2:17pm Mon 9 Jun 14

Joeblogg85 wrote…

WirralAl wrote…

More of the same old bully tactics that we have all come to expect from this shower of control freaks. Remember they have appointed the Mayor who took the Wirral Council to the brink of collapse and have managed to squirm out of any blame for anything. They never do anything wrong so I am sure that they will act in the a responsible manner and fall on their own sword eventually!!!

Full respect for your considered views Wirral Al. However, I wouldn't hang around for too long waiting for any of this lot to fall on anyone's sword! Al the best Joe

Too true Joe. Just hoping that the " give them sufficient rope" plan might work. Not with these slippery slime bags!!

[quote][p][bold]Joeblogg85[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]WirralAl[/bold] wrote:
More of the same old bully tactics that we have all come to expect from this shower of control freaks.
Remember they have appointed the Mayor who took the Wirral Council to the brink of collapse and have managed to squirm out of any blame for anything.
They never do anything wrong so I am sure that they will act in the a responsible manner and fall on their own sword eventually!!![/p][/quote]Full respect for your considered views Wirral Al. However, I wouldn't hang around for too long waiting for any of this lot to fall on anyone's sword!
Al the best
Joe[/p][/quote]Too true Joe. Just hoping that the " give them sufficient rope" plan might work.
Not with these slippery slime bags!!WirralAl

Joeblogg85 wrote…

WirralAl wrote…

More of the same old bully tactics that we have all come to expect from this shower of control freaks. Remember they have appointed the Mayor who took the Wirral Council to the brink of collapse and have managed to squirm out of any blame for anything. They never do anything wrong so I am sure that they will act in the a responsible manner and fall on their own sword eventually!!!

Full respect for your considered views Wirral Al. However, I wouldn't hang around for too long waiting for any of this lot to fall on anyone's sword! Al the best Joe

Too true Joe. Just hoping that the " give them sufficient rope" plan might work. Not with these slippery slime bags!!

Score: 3

PaulCa says...2:38pm Mon 9 Jun 14

Can we spend untold ££millions on appointing an LGA "Improvement" Board to address any abuses of power? OH, hang on, the last one finished a few months back. Never mind. We've obviously improved out of all recognition. Carry on.

Can we spend untold ££millions on appointing an LGA "Improvement" Board to address any abuses of power?
OH, hang on, the last one finished a few months back.
Never mind. We've obviously improved out of all recognition.
Carry on.PaulCa

Can we spend untold ££millions on appointing an LGA "Improvement" Board to address any abuses of power? OH, hang on, the last one finished a few months back. Never mind. We've obviously improved out of all recognition. Carry on.

Score: 3

JADEE1 says...2:43pm Mon 9 Jun 14

ITS ILLEGAL THEY CANT DO IT,WHAT A BUNCH OF LABOUR IDIOTS,BIRKENHEAD BENT CLLRS,- 1. RISE AGAIN,BUT NOT FOR LONG,! PAHETIC,ITS TIME THE POLICE WERE CALLED INN AGAIN.,& START BY LOOKING VERY CLOSELY AT WIRRAL CLLR,S EXPENSES , & LAND DEALS, INC,EX LABOUR CLR BRIAN KENNY FOR STARTERS,NEARLY A THOUSAND POUNDS A YEAR !! CLAIMED ,FROM THE WIRRAL TAX PAYERS,ON PETROL ALONE,,WHAT A LIBERTY,,BUT NEVER AGAIN,,STILL WERE SURE HIS OPPO, PRIORY POINT/ZONE FIRST WILL CARRY ON LOOKING AFTER HIM,>>

ITS ILLEGAL THEY CANT DO IT,WHAT A BUNCH OF LABOUR IDIOTS,BIRKENHEAD BENT CLLRS,- 1. RISE AGAIN,BUT NOT FOR LONG,! PAHETIC,ITS TIME THE POLICE WERE CALLED INN AGAIN.,& START BY LOOKING VERY CLOSELY AT WIRRAL CLLR,S EXPENSES , & LAND DEALS, INC,EX LABOUR CLR BRIAN KENNY FOR STARTERS,NEARLY A THOUSAND POUNDS A YEAR !! CLAIMED ,FROM THE WIRRAL TAX PAYERS,ON PETROL ALONE,,WHAT A LIBERTY,,BUT NEVER AGAIN,,STILL WERE SURE HIS OPPO, PRIORY POINT/ZONE FIRST WILL CARRY ON LOOKING AFTER HIM,>>JADEE1

ITS ILLEGAL THEY CANT DO IT,WHAT A BUNCH OF LABOUR IDIOTS,BIRKENHEAD BENT CLLRS,- 1. RISE AGAIN,BUT NOT FOR LONG,! PAHETIC,ITS TIME THE POLICE WERE CALLED INN AGAIN.,& START BY LOOKING VERY CLOSELY AT WIRRAL CLLR,S EXPENSES , & LAND DEALS, INC,EX LABOUR CLR BRIAN KENNY FOR STARTERS,NEARLY A THOUSAND POUNDS A YEAR !! CLAIMED ,FROM THE WIRRAL TAX PAYERS,ON PETROL ALONE,,WHAT A LIBERTY,,BUT NEVER AGAIN,,STILL WERE SURE HIS OPPO, PRIORY POINT/ZONE FIRST WILL CARRY ON LOOKING AFTER HIM,>>

Score: 2

bigfoot says...3:12pm Mon 9 Jun 14

Oh so that's how you create an open 'an open and transparent Council'. This is similar to some previous authoritarian politicians elsewhere in the world. I wonder what advice the legal and spin department have given.

Oh so that's how you create an open 'an open and transparent Council'.
This is similar to some previous authoritarian politicians elsewhere in the world.
I wonder what advice the legal and spin department have given.bigfoot

Oh so that's how you create an open 'an open and transparent Council'. This is similar to some previous authoritarian politicians elsewhere in the world. I wonder what advice the legal and spin department have given.

Score: 7

keen gardener says...10:00pm Mon 9 Jun 14

I suspect "the brink" has been overtaken!!!! OR....is this the "trick under the table" in order to join hands with those across the Mersey? PS Who submits these "updates" is it Wirral Globe or the PR Dept of the Council, or a combination of both? Intrigues me no end!

I suspect "the brink" has been overtaken!!!! OR....is this the "trick under the table" in order to join hands with those across the Mersey? PS Who submits these "updates" is it Wirral Globe or the PR Dept of the Council, or a combination of both? Intrigues me no end!keen gardener

I suspect "the brink" has been overtaken!!!! OR....is this the "trick under the table" in order to join hands with those across the Mersey? PS Who submits these "updates" is it Wirral Globe or the PR Dept of the Council, or a combination of both? Intrigues me no end!

Score: 5

MDRyUK says...4:15am Tue 10 Jun 14

I wonder what will happen next? So much for the LGA Improvement Board? Hey don't worry all Council Services will be decommissioned, then everything will be absolutely Okay! Think NOT! Arrgghhh. Thank goodness for journalists, bloggers and the like. I agree with PaulCa and other residents who care about scrutiny, democracy, and decent public services on the Wirral.

I wonder what will happen next? So much for the LGA Improvement Board? Hey don't worry all Council Services will be decommissioned, then everything will be absolutely Okay! Think NOT! Arrgghhh.
Thank goodness for journalists, bloggers and the like.
I agree with PaulCa and other residents who care about scrutiny, democracy, and decent public services on the Wirral.MDRyUK

I wonder what will happen next? So much for the LGA Improvement Board? Hey don't worry all Council Services will be decommissioned, then everything will be absolutely Okay! Think NOT! Arrgghhh. Thank goodness for journalists, bloggers and the like. I agree with PaulCa and other residents who care about scrutiny, democracy, and decent public services on the Wirral.

Score: 5

ballacrain says...6:53am Tue 10 Jun 14

Sounds as if we are governed by a Dictatorship. We know what happened to other dictators.

Sounds as if we are governed by a Dictatorship. We know what happened to other dictators.ballacrain

Sounds as if we are governed by a Dictatorship. We know what happened to other dictators.

Score: 3

JohnON says...7:43am Tue 10 Jun 14

I can hear the sound of jack boots. Odd isn't it that, it doesn't really matter how democratically-elect ed our national Government is, one tiny insignificant local Council who get grandiose delusions can trample roughshod over democracy and get away with it. The only losers being us - the residents. Even the residents who are so stupid as to believe it's in their best interests.

I can hear the sound of jack boots.
Odd isn't it that, it doesn't really matter how democratically-elect
ed our national Government is, one tiny insignificant local Council who get grandiose delusions can trample roughshod over democracy and get away with it.
The only losers being us - the residents. Even the residents who are so stupid as to believe it's in their best interests.JohnON

I can hear the sound of jack boots. Odd isn't it that, it doesn't really matter how democratically-elect ed our national Government is, one tiny insignificant local Council who get grandiose delusions can trample roughshod over democracy and get away with it. The only losers being us - the residents. Even the residents who are so stupid as to believe it's in their best interests.

Score: 6

hobroW says...12:03pm Tue 10 Jun 14

Stuart Kelly quoted that Labour had garnered 38% of the vote, which I am unsure whether he meant of all the 190,000 voters-most of whom did not vote-or of those who voted, which is possible given the 26% turnout in Seacombe and other Labour seats. Either way it is not a mandate. Calling the opposition irresponsible is very dictatorial and downright rude.Stories subscribed to by opposition councillors may appear sensational but that is the nature of the gobbets taken by press coverage. the opposition is serving its purpose by highlighting for the public salient points. Swithching street lights off against the advice of police is a fact for ourselves to be cognisant as is preventing access to emails from a whistleblower specifically when that whistleblowers' concerns have been macerating for 3 years!

Stuart Kelly quoted that Labour had garnered 38% of the vote, which I am unsure whether he meant of all the 190,000 voters-most of whom did not vote-or of those who voted, which is possible given the 26% turnout in Seacombe and other Labour seats. Either way it is not a mandate.
Calling the opposition irresponsible is very dictatorial and downright rude.Stories subscribed to by opposition councillors may appear sensational but that is the nature of the gobbets taken by press coverage. the opposition is serving its purpose by highlighting for the public salient points.
Swithching street lights off against the advice of police is a fact for ourselves to be cognisant as is preventing access to emails from a whistleblower specifically when that whistleblowers' concerns have been macerating for 3 years!hobroW

Stuart Kelly quoted that Labour had garnered 38% of the vote, which I am unsure whether he meant of all the 190,000 voters-most of whom did not vote-or of those who voted, which is possible given the 26% turnout in Seacombe and other Labour seats. Either way it is not a mandate. Calling the opposition irresponsible is very dictatorial and downright rude.Stories subscribed to by opposition councillors may appear sensational but that is the nature of the gobbets taken by press coverage. the opposition is serving its purpose by highlighting for the public salient points. Swithching street lights off against the advice of police is a fact for ourselves to be cognisant as is preventing access to emails from a whistleblower specifically when that whistleblowers' concerns have been macerating for 3 years!

Score: 5

Llamedos 1 says...12:29pm Tue 10 Jun 14

Well, you can put the responsibility for this latest outrage fairly and squarely on to the apathetic electorate, simples.....they get what they deserve. Unfortunately that leaves us lot with no way of removing party politics from the running of our borough.

Well, you can put the responsibility for this latest outrage fairly and squarely on to the apathetic electorate, simples.....they get what they deserve. Unfortunately that leaves us lot with no way of removing party politics from the running of our borough.Llamedos 1

Well, you can put the responsibility for this latest outrage fairly and squarely on to the apathetic electorate, simples.....they get what they deserve. Unfortunately that leaves us lot with no way of removing party politics from the running of our borough.

Score: 4

Growl Tiger says...12:50pm Tue 10 Jun 14

Surely the Chairman of a committee should be the person with best experience of the work that committee undertakes. The appointment should not be political. This is yet another form of gagging by a dictatorial Leader.

Surely the Chairman of a committee should be the person with best experience of the work that committee undertakes. The appointment should not be political. This is yet another form of gagging by a dictatorial Leader.Growl Tiger

Surely the Chairman of a committee should be the person with best experience of the work that committee undertakes. The appointment should not be political. This is yet another form of gagging by a dictatorial Leader.

Score: 10

hobroW says...8:17am Wed 11 Jun 14

Growl Tiger wrote…

Surely the Chairman of a committee should be the person with best experience of the work that committee undertakes. The appointment should not be political. This is yet another form of gagging by a dictatorial Leader.

The chair of audit and Risk committee has followed events not pre-empted their happening. Based on performance would a private company renew his post? Compare his interrogation, if that is the right word, of Counter fraud officers and other officers with that of Margaret Hodge MP. There is no comparison and the word "rubber-stamping2 keeps coming to mind

[quote][p][bold]Growl Tiger[/bold] wrote:
Surely the Chairman of a committee should be the person with best experience of the work that committee undertakes. The appointment should not be political. This is yet another form of gagging by a dictatorial Leader.[/p][/quote]The chair of audit and Risk committee has followed events not pre-empted their happening.
Based on performance would a private company renew his post?
Compare his interrogation, if that is the right word, of Counter fraud officers and other officers with that of Margaret Hodge MP. There is no comparison and the word "rubber-stamping2 keeps coming to mindhobroW

Growl Tiger wrote…

Surely the Chairman of a committee should be the person with best experience of the work that committee undertakes. The appointment should not be political. This is yet another form of gagging by a dictatorial Leader.

The chair of audit and Risk committee has followed events not pre-empted their happening. Based on performance would a private company renew his post? Compare his interrogation, if that is the right word, of Counter fraud officers and other officers with that of Margaret Hodge MP. There is no comparison and the word "rubber-stamping2 keeps coming to mind

Score: 2

Joeblogg85 says...7:07pm Wed 11 Jun 14

This is just typical Wirral politicking at its best or worse whichever side you're on. Don't you think Sir Jeffrey wouldn't have done the same thing if he had the power? To blooming right he would. Sir Jeffrey was at the helm a very short time but quickly nestled into the Power Trip that is Wirral Council. Unfortunately, he used bad judgement and listened to the wrong senior officer and his days where quickly numbered. This lot are taking no chances. Why have the opposition in any positions of power? Also, please remember that all these positions carry a nice little earner, so why not keep the jobs for the boys and girls? Phil Davies wants this Council on lock down and the best way to do this is batten down the hatches and plough on regardless. We all know that Phil is keeping a close eye on Sir Frank of the Field! Don't we.

This is just typical Wirral politicking at its best or worse whichever side you're on.
Don't you think Sir Jeffrey wouldn't have done the same thing if he had the power? To blooming right he would.
Sir Jeffrey was at the helm a very short time but quickly nestled into the Power Trip that is Wirral Council. Unfortunately, he used bad judgement and listened to the wrong senior officer and his days where quickly numbered.
This lot are taking no chances. Why have the opposition in any positions of power? Also, please remember that all these positions carry a nice little earner, so why not keep the jobs for the boys and girls?
Phil Davies wants this Council on lock down and the best way to do this is batten down the hatches and plough on regardless. We all know that Phil is keeping a close eye on Sir Frank of the Field! Don't we.Joeblogg85

This is just typical Wirral politicking at its best or worse whichever side you're on. Don't you think Sir Jeffrey wouldn't have done the same thing if he had the power? To blooming right he would. Sir Jeffrey was at the helm a very short time but quickly nestled into the Power Trip that is Wirral Council. Unfortunately, he used bad judgement and listened to the wrong senior officer and his days where quickly numbered. This lot are taking no chances. Why have the opposition in any positions of power? Also, please remember that all these positions carry a nice little earner, so why not keep the jobs for the boys and girls? Phil Davies wants this Council on lock down and the best way to do this is batten down the hatches and plough on regardless. We all know that Phil is keeping a close eye on Sir Frank of the Field! Don't we.

Score: 3

RL 1952 says...8:15am Thu 12 Jun 14

WirralAl wrote…

More of the same old bully tactics that we have all come to expect from this shower of control freaks. Remember they have appointed the Mayor who took the Wirral Council to the brink of collapse and have managed to squirm out of any blame for anything. They never do anything wrong so I am sure that they will act in the a responsible manner and fall on their own sword eventually!!!

If scrutiny committees are to do their job they must have a well balanced representation and this just demonstrates a distasteful corruption if you have just one party represented how can this be democracy, how can their decisions be open honest and transparent? This whole shambolic matter needs to be reviewed at the highest level.

[quote][p][bold]WirralAl[/bold] wrote:
More of the same old bully tactics that we have all come to expect from this shower of control freaks.
Remember they have appointed the Mayor who took the Wirral Council to the brink of collapse and have managed to squirm out of any blame for anything.
They never do anything wrong so I am sure that they will act in the a responsible manner and fall on their own sword eventually!!![/p][/quote]If scrutiny committees are to do their job they must have a well balanced representation and this just demonstrates a distasteful corruption if you have just one party represented how can this be democracy, how can their decisions be open honest and transparent? This whole shambolic matter needs to be reviewed at the highest level.RL 1952

WirralAl wrote…

More of the same old bully tactics that we have all come to expect from this shower of control freaks. Remember they have appointed the Mayor who took the Wirral Council to the brink of collapse and have managed to squirm out of any blame for anything. They never do anything wrong so I am sure that they will act in the a responsible manner and fall on their own sword eventually!!!

If scrutiny committees are to do their job they must have a well balanced representation and this just demonstrates a distasteful corruption if you have just one party represented how can this be democracy, how can their decisions be open honest and transparent? This whole shambolic matter needs to be reviewed at the highest level.

Score: 2

warescouse says...12:20pm Fri 13 Jun 14

'Carry on Labour' would make a grown man cry should he take the time and trouble to investigate the sordid past and legacy of wasted money, gagging payments with clauses this Labour administration has been historicaly part of. While on their watch a certain amount of curruption has been exposed. Can Labour honestly say they are now being transparent?

'Carry on Labour' would make a grown man cry should he take the time and trouble to investigate the sordid past and legacy of wasted money, gagging payments with clauses this Labour administration has been historicaly part of.
While on their watch a certain amount of curruption has been exposed. Can Labour honestly say they are now being transparent?warescouse

'Carry on Labour' would make a grown man cry should he take the time and trouble to investigate the sordid past and legacy of wasted money, gagging payments with clauses this Labour administration has been historicaly part of. While on their watch a certain amount of curruption has been exposed. Can Labour honestly say they are now being transparent?

Score: 3

David Scott says...7:56am Mon 16 Jun 14

There's now a one-party state mentality. Even in Parliament there are select committees providing a degree of scrutiny, with some chaired by non-governing party MPs.

There's now a one-party state mentality. Even in Parliament there are select committees providing a degree of scrutiny, with some chaired by non-governing party MPs.David Scott

There's now a one-party state mentality. Even in Parliament there are select committees providing a degree of scrutiny, with some chaired by non-governing party MPs.

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